Wisconsin Union: Wisconsin Sound, a New Event Series Featuring Wisconsin Artists, Will Begin Jan. 24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 19, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-8862

WISCONSIN SOUND, A NEW EVENT SERIES FEATURING WISCONSIN ARTISTS, WILL BEGIN JAN. 24

MADISON –  The Wisconsin Union Theater’s new online event series, called Wisconsin Sound, will exclusively feature Wisconsin artists, beginning with the virtual streaming of a concert by the Willy Street Chamber Players on Jan. 24 at noon CDT.

In addition to the Willy Street Chamber Players performance, the series will include performances by flutist Iva Ugrčić and pianist Satoko Hayami on Feb. 21, the Johannes Wallmann Quintet on March 21, modern classical band Mr. Chair on April 11, and the Pro Arte Quartet on May 2. All performances will take place at noon CDT on their respective dates.

Tickets for this online series cost $15 per event or $50 for a subscription to all Wisconsin Sound performances. Each event will be available for ticket holders to enjoy on-demand for one week following its initial livestream, with the program becoming unavailable at 1 p.m. CDT one week after its initial livestream. For example, the first event will be available to ticket holders until 1 p.m. CDT on Jan. 31.

The Theater team created this new series both for its patrons as well as to help support performance artists, many of whom have experienced canceled performances due to COVID-19.

“We, at the Wisconsin Union Theater, want to do our part to support the great talent right here in Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “We want artists to have the opportunity to continue to create art and enrich lives with their artistry.”

The debut event with the Willy Street Chamber Players will include a performance of Fantasiestücke for Cello and Piano, Op. 73 by Robert Schumann; Fantasy No. 2 for Violin and Piano by Florence Price; Kiép Nào Có Yeu Nhau for Violin and Piano by Rachel Eubank; and Adagio and Allegro for Cello and Piano, Op. 70 by Robert Schumann.

The Players’ performers include violinists Paran Amirinazari and Eleanor Bartsch, cellists Mark Bridges and Lindsey Crabb, and pianist Thomas Kasdorf. The Players aim to create community through music and bring imaginative approaches to classical music.

On Feb. 21, the Theater team will livestream Ugrčić and Hayami performing Flute Sonata, Op. 167 “Undine” by Carl Reinecke, “Chant de Linos” by André Jolivet, and “Fanmi Imen” by Valerie Coleman.

Serbia-born Ugrčić, a University of Wisconsin-Madison alumna, is known not only for her incredible talent as a flutist and teacher but also for her work to make a difference for women in the arts. Hayami, a native of Japan, won the Paul Collins Wisconsin Distinguished Fellowship and has performed at venues throughout the world. She is currently working toward her doctorate in musical arts at UW-Madison.

The series will continue on March 21 with a performance by the Johannes Wallmann Quintet. The Quintet includes pianist Johannes Wallmann, trumpeter Russ Johnson, tenor saxophonist Tony Barba, bassist Peter Dominguez, and drummer Jon Deitemyer. Wallmann works not only as a pianist but also as a composer and the UW-Madison director of jazz studies. The in-demand winner of many national scholarships and competitions has gained a reputation as a versatile performer adept at a wide range of musical styles.

The next performance by Mr. Chair on April 11 will include “Abandoned Cities,” “Appellation Spring,” and “Better Days” by Mark Hetzler; “Britten’s Written Rhythm” and “March” by Jason Kutz; “Elegy” by Ben Ferris; and “Fuchsia” by Jason Kutz with a poetry and reading performance by Buzz Kemper.

The group features trombonist Mark Hetzler, pianist Jason Kutz, drummer Mike Koszewski, and bassist Ben Ferris. Established in 2016, Mr. Chair does not limit itself to one genre; it fuses jazz, classical, rock and more, making it a band enjoyed by people of many musical interests.

The series will conclude on May 2 with Pro Arte Quartet’s performance of quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven in connection with the Quartet’s celebration of the composer’s 250th birthday in the 2020/2021 season. The celebrated Quartet began in 1912 and boasts a long history of accomplishments, including serving as the court quartet to the queen of Belgium. Stranded in the United States when Nazi forces invaded Belgium in 1940, the Quintet began a residency at UW-Madison, where it continues today. The group is the first and only quartet to reach its 100th anniversary.

“We are committed to our mission of delivering high quality performing arts to our community, despite the challenges we face this year and even if our shared experience can only be through a virtual space right now,” Snodgrass said.

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a cultural center for community members and visitors.

The Theater team strives for all of its spaces to be accessible. Those that need accommodations can email wisconsinuniontheater@union.wisc.edu.

The Wisconsin Union Theater team has committed to taking action in standing against racial inequities. For a full statement on the Theater’s stance and efforts, click here.

This season of Wisconsin Union Theater programming is made possible in part by Wisconsin Arts Board funding from the State of Wisconsin and financial assistance from the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information about Wisconsin Sound, visit union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-sound-series.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an expansive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Theater: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/wisconsin-sound-2021.

gener8tor: Black and Brown Founders Invited to Pitch to Investors During Lightning Rounds

MADISON, WISCONSIN – Nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor announced today an exciting opportunity for startups to pitch to investors through its Lightning Rounds pitch event on March 4, 2021. Lightning Rounds is gener8tor’s quarterly event that connects startups with accelerators and investors via quick-pitch opportunities. Through Lighting Rounds, gener8tor’s goal is to create an industry-leading pitching series centered on investing in underrepresented founders. gener8tor believes a gold-standard pitch event that connects diverse-led innovation, venture capitalists and thought leaders is long overdue.

Read more here

Gebhardt Development: Pleased to Announce Its Latest Development, Colorado Commons

(Sun Prairie, WI) – Colorado Commons, a unique market rate multifamily development, is coming to the West Prairie Village Community. This development will provide much needed housing for those seeking to live, work, and play in the City of Sun Prairie.

Read more here

Colorado Commons Site Plan

Acclaimed Verona Quartet to Perform for Wisconsin Union Theater Patrons Jan. 29

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 14, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

ACCLAIMED VERONA QUARTET TO PERFORM FOR WISCONSIN UNION THEATER PATRONS JAN. 29

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series will continue with a performance by the Verona Quartet on Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. CDT, which will be preceded by a question-and-answer session with the Quartet at 7 p.m. CDT. 

The Quartet will perform String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51, No. 2 by Johannes Brahms and String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 “American” by Antonín Dvořák.

The Verona Quartet rose to international fame by sweeping top prizes at competitions, including the Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award in 2020.

Hailing from four different parts of the world, differences unify the Quartet’s members and music. Its music aims to show how diverse experiences can come together in harmony.

 “The Verona Quartet brings fresh approaches to classical music masterpieces,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “The Quartet has risen to become one of the world’s most sought-after string quartets. We are honored to include them in our Concert Series season.”

Ticket purchase information can be found here. Tickets for this online event are $10 for UW-Madison students, $17 for Wisconsin Union members and students that do not attend UW-Madison, and $20 for all other patrons.

The performance will include the Quartet’s violinists Jonathan Ong, Dorothy Ro, and Abigail Rojansky. Due to challenges related to the pandemic, Quartet member and cellist Jonathan Dormand will not be part of the event. Instead, cellist Dmitry Kouzov will perform the String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51, No. 2 with the Quartet, and cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins will perform the String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 “American” with the ensemble.

The Verona Quartet’s performance is made possible by the David and Kato Perlman Chamber Music Endowment Fund with additional support from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.

An additional Concert Series performance will occur Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. CDT and feature the Meccore Quartet.

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a cultural center for community members and visitors and provides a variety of performing arts events. The Theater’s Concert Series began more than a century ago and is one of the oldest uninterrupted series of its kind in the United States.

The Wisconsin Union Theater team presents the Concert Series in collaboration with the student-led Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Performing Arts Committee.

The Theater team strives for all of its spaces to be accessible, and those that need accommodations can reach out to the Wisconsin Union Theater team at wisconsinuniontheater@union.wisc.edu.

For more information about the Verona Quartet, including how to purchase tickets, visit union.wisc.edu/events-and-activities/event-calendar/event/verona-quartet.  

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an expansive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Theater: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

About the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee

The Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee plans and promotes events for the historic Wisconsin Union Theater stages. The student-led committee programs a variety of events to provide a diverse and cultural experience for students, faculty, alumni, community members and visitors. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/get-involved/wud/performing-arts.

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/verona-quartet.

Building a New Kind of Ballet: Madison Ballet’s New Choreography Workshop Series Beginning January 23, 2021

MADISON, WI –  Madison Ballet is collaborating with three up-and-coming dancemakers for a New Choreography workshop series that gives local dancers the chance to be a part of building a new ballet from the ground up. With no clear return to live theater performances in the coming months, Madison Ballet is using this limitation as an opportunity to create the company’s first-ever new digital works intended to be released online in spring 2021. As a prelude to the production, the company is offering a virtual workshop series featuring three Madison-based dancer/choreographers: Darwin Black (January 23), Jacob Ashley (January 30) and Rachelle Fochs (February 6).

In these 2-hour workshops, each choreographer will use dancers as both a medium and muse, exploring the interplay of themes, music, and steps to create a “sketch” of a new work. While the spring production lineup is yet to be announced, these workshops will help inform and inspire this exciting new facet of Madison Ballet’s popular repertoire series.

Offered in addition to regular School of Madison Ballet classes, each workshop includes a short warm-up class and concludes with all new choreography online via Zoom. Dancers age 9+ with previous ballet experience welcome.

Darwin Black | January 23rd, 12pm – 2pm

Darwin Black of Newark, NJ started his dancing at the age of 16. In 2006, he graduated from Newark Arts High School under the direction of Ronnie D. Carney and Kim Richardson. After a year of training at Alvin Ailey American Dance as a Fellowship Student under the Oprah Winfrey Scholarship, he began his professional career with the Miami Contemporary Dance Company, and later joined The Sacramento Ballet. Mr. Black danced as a freelance artist for Alaska Dance Theatre, Lustig Dance Theatre, Montgomery Ballet, Nimbus Dance Works, and Momix. Later he joined TU Dance under the leadership of Tony-Pierce Sands & Uri Sands for four seasons. Mr. Black began spreading his wings into choreography with his first original work, “OFF THE BASE” premiered at The Cowles Center March of 2017. 

Jacob Ashley | January 30th, 12pm – 2pm 

A Chicago native, Jacob Ashley began his dance training at the Chicago Academy for the Arts under the instruction of Randy Duncan, Guillermo Leyva, Sandra Kaufmann, and the late Anna Paskevska. After attending Columbia College Chicago’s modern dance program, he began his professional career as an apprentice for Luna Negra Dance Theater. Mr. Ashley has been a member of Madison Ballet for 10 years, as well as a guest artist for companies such as Ballet Chicago, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Houston Grand Opera, and San Diego Opera. This workshop will be his first foray into choreography with Madison Ballet.

Rachelle Fochs | February 26th, 12p, – 2pm

A Madison native, Mrs. Fochs’ training began in 1999 with Madison Ballet. She was later accepted on full scholarship to The Rock School of the Pennsylvania Ballet, and continued her training around the country, including at Ballet Chicago and Miami City Ballet School. She began her professional career with Sacramento Ballet, in 2007, she returned to Madison Ballet, performing soloist and principal roles until her retirement in 2016. She continues to share her love of all things ballet as a Ballet Master and Director of the School of Madison Ballet. She has recently begun to choreograph, creating new works for Madison Ballet, Madison Gas & Electric’s GENRE2030 film series, Capital City Theatre’s “Find Your Light” workshops, and several works set on students of the School of Madison Ballet.

Registration Information

Registration for each standalone class is $20 and can be purchased online at https://www.madisonballet.org/choreography-workshop or by calling (608) 278-7990.

For nearly 40 years, Madison Ballet has been an integral part of the vibrant Dane County arts community. Full scale productions of inspiring traditional ballets, innovative contemporary performances, and the timeless holiday tradition of The Nutcracker reach more than 13,000 people each year. The School of Madison Ballet empowers students of all ages and skill levels with the poise, confidence, discipline, and fundamental life skills intrinsic to the study of dance. Outreach programming, presented in partnership with dozens of local school and community groups, enriches thousands of young people’s lives by introducing them to the joy of dance.